Being European, I can’t help but wonder over recent debates in the United States about the NFL and college football. Increasingly more analysts believe that these sports should be banned, or at least ‘reformed’. The latter of course meaning that they’ll lose what makes them unique and appealing to sports fans everywhere.

Now, make no mistake about it: I’m just as convinced as the average Joe that football is a very dangerous sport indeed. But why did this fact take analysts by surprise? Why do they make such a big issue out of concussions and other football-related problems? Is it a matter of them wanting to wash their hands in all innocence?

I still remember the first time I watched the NFL: I was shocked – shocked. These weren’t athletes, they were gladiators. Anyone not blind could see that they were out to hurt each other and that the crowd loved them for it.

Once I got into the NFL, I started watching college football too. It was just as great, if not better, simply because it’s less commercial. These youngsters were trying to prove themselves; they wanted to be the best they could possibly be, while hoping for a professional career in the NFL. They were willing to run through brick walls to reach their goals.

Of course, they too were taken off the field regularly. One had a concussion, another a broken leg. Some of the injured players were probably scarred for life. That much was clear.

But that’s their choice. What’s more, their freedom to make that choice is what makes America… America. That’s what that great country of yours stands for: the freedom to pursue your own happiness, regardless of what know-it-alls think.

That’s why I can’t quite wrap my head around articles such as this interview in Slate about college football. The interviewee, Malcolm Gladwell argues that college football should be banned:

The factor that I think will be decisive is the head-injury issue. Colleges are going to get sued, and they will have to decide whether they can afford their legal exposure. That said, the issue ought to be how big-time college sports subverts the academic mission of university education.

He continues:

College football has become indistinguishable from professional football—which is the problem. The only justification for college sports is that they are structured in a way that enhances the social and academic experience of getting an education. A sports program using semiprofessional athletes, and running on a budget of $50-plus million a year does not fit that description.

Not true, Mr. Gladwell: the only needed justification for college sports is that they teach students and athletes to be the best they can be. That’s a skill they can use in every career. Yes, in professional sports of course, but also in business.

Like many others, I share the concern for football players’ health – be they NLF or college players. But to outlaw college football, just because it may not be as healthy as, say, fishing is, well, simply un-American.

Michael van der Galien is Editor-in-Chief of Dutch news and opinion website De Dagelijkse Standaard, a freelance journalist and columnist, and a regular contributor to several American websites among which PJ Media He can be contacted at mpfvandergalien@gmail.com.

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1.
ChrisS

I’m just as convinced as the average Joe that football is a very dangerous sport indeed. But why did this fact take analysts by surprise?

Cigarettes were known as “coffin nails” in the early 1900′s yet the “experts” didn’t start the process of banning them until it became financially lucrative in the late 1980′s. But ending football isn’t just about a trial lawyer’s big payday, it’s also about the role unions play in destroying every industry they infest and a societal imperative to end any overt expression of masculinity. It’s a trifecta that has already doomed football at all levels. Don’t worry though, you’ll see the NFL replaced by a widely popular synchronized swimming league. Although there won’t be any water over concerns about drowning…

But he’s correct. Does anyone know how many near crippled men their are because of football. I know 2 close to me, near crippled from high school and a short bit of college football. One’s had a knee replacement, the other can’t move as well as his 83 yr old mother. All from football.

So in this age of socialized medicine, it is a societal question as to whether we should permit a “sport” that causes so much cost on everyone through senseless, lifelong injuries. Back when people paid their own medical bills, it was their choice but now, with the cost being dumped on the taxpayers, it’s a question for those burdened with paying for these easily preventable, life long, debilitating injuries.

“Does anyone know how many near crippled men their are because of football.”

This is the most ludicrous basis to ban football (or anything). Why? Because people are maimed playing baseball (a kid was just revived from having a heart attack from being hit by a baseball), or soccer, or riding a bike (or motorcycle), driving/riding in a car, crossing the road, eating a food (or an amount of food) that could make you fat, ect, ect, ect. All activities in life have chances to cause someone to become injured or killed. The point is not to ban it, but to look into how to remove or reduce the causes of injuries.

True, there are risks of catastrophic injury in all activities. However, football as played according to the rules creates occupational injuries due to simply participating as the game is designed without any catastrophic injury. These occupational injuries do not become debilitating till decades after the individual stopped playing the game. All the while, those who profit from football, the school systems, universities, media broadcasters do not bear any of the lifetime costs for the occupational injuries their enterprise causes.

As a family member who was a big time football hero in the ’60s (mostly high school, some college) has stated, “If he knew he wouldn’t make the pros, he never would have played football” Nearing 65, he lives with the consequences of his misspent youth and the exploitation of the football industry.

BTW, in a battle between socialized medicine and football, my money is on football.

I dunno. Used to be a big fan. Never played anything rougher than flag, but did plenty of that. But 300 pound guys, even in college. I dunno. I used to be a big fan of boxing, too, but now the unavoidable brain damage makes it look like a really dumb sport to play or even watch. So, is football salvagable? If it were converted to pro flag, would that reduce the concussions? Cuz you have to figure, that’s where it’s going. I guess all other injuries can be tolerated, though the armor may get better and more extensive, too. It’s a problem. Be a huge cultural shock if we eventually give up football in favor of, I dunno ……… soccer? OMG.

Interesting that you mentioned boxing. That’s a good example of safety equipment potentially making things worse. In the bare-knuckle days, boxers would attempt far fewer punches to the head. Trying to punch a quick-moving target with the hardness of the skull didn’t do wonders for the bones in the hand. One type of hand injury happened so often that it was best known as boxer’s fracture. Once the padded gloves were introduced, head punches became far more common. In addition, the boxers could now use much more force when punching. Brain injuries began to replace broken hands as the biggest medical problem. In fairness, boxing gloves did at least greatly reduce eye injuries.

Even the protective headgear worn at some levels is questionable. The short-term protection can lead to longer-term damage. The head and brain take more high force accelerations than they would unprotected. In addition, fights last longer, increasing the chances of injuries exacerbated by dehydration and exhaustion. That’s actually the main reason that most boxing matches went from a 15 round limit to a 12.

The one piece of football gear that I wonder about is the helmet. There’s no question that it’s a well-engineered piece of protective gear. The problem is when it’s used as a weapon (spearing). The obvious threat to the spearee (Is that a word? Well, it is now), but also neck and spinal damage to the spearer. Could the hard plastic shell be replaced by a softer shell, say of thick molded rubber, and still offer sufficient protection?

Well sure, wear a nice foamed plastic helmet three feet across, and you should eliminate brain trauma! Also slow down a hundred yard run by three seconds!

Actually, looking for techno answers, bicycle helmets have a sacrificial styrofoam lining, or entire, some soft helmets lack a shell. Should be replaced after any serious impact. Could possibly do something like that in football, change soft liners at every opportunity, or even lose the hard shell.

In the scifi classic Dune they have force-fields that only allow slow movements to penetrate, that’s pretty much what is needed!

The athletes became progressively faster, bigger and stronger as college football began to get really big attention in the ’70s. This was only made worse by steroid use some years later. This is why concussions are worse than ever.

Y’know, I wonder if it’s really that much worse now. Better medicine all around keeps players in the game a little longer, maybe, where in olden days they’d rip an unrepairable knee or tendon before their brains got scrambled.

… and I wanted to add that even in soccer, the head shots are a BAD idea, as has also been documented. Wonder if soccer players are going to need helmets, or some other rule changes.

Heck, I’ve had my bell rung a few times just with accidental hits playing basketball, and Metta World Peace wasn’t even on the court. Would NOT want to be having that on a daily basis, much less ten or fifty times a day.

There’s no doubt in my mind FIFA will come on with helmet laws. They’re talking about concussions right now just as we are. A handful of goalies wear head padding. FIFA might grandfather it in so it only affects new players – Gump Worsely, remember him in hockey – second to the last to not wear a mask? There’ll be a giant stink from macho South America. It’s possible they might design something “cool” looking, that’s more like padding for the crown of the head. Soccer is faster than it’s ever been – steroids there too. You look at video from the 70s and they look like girls teams.

Given that the human brain basically floats in water any of the highly kinetic impacts of football has potential to create brain trauma.

If not a full bore concussion than a serious of smaller less noticeable ones. Google chronic traumatic encephalopathy for the grizzly details.

Given that we are a society that is willing to have the worlds highest incarceration rate to stop people from possible self induced harm from drugs, I can very well see us regulating the sport as well.

I doubt it will be banned but bluntly, Football is costly and in its current sense, convincing hormonal young men to be maimed and possibly suffer life long trauma just for our entertainment and profit is highly unethical.